A National Security Council official who claimed the U.S. could launch a preemptive strike against North Korea to help the Republican party in the midterm elections was a "reckless accusation," said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders.

"Never happened. Pottinger is a Marine who served in two wars and doesn't take military action lightly. Can't believe @WSJ reporter didn't reach out for a comment before repeating such a reckless accusation," Sanders tweeted Friday.

Never happened. Pottinger is a Marine who served in two wars and doesn’t take military action lightly. Can’t believe @WSJ reporter didn’t reach out for a comment before repeating such a reckless accusation. https://t.co/B270jlqHUs

A Wall Street Journal reporter tweeted a story published by a South Korean newspaper that claimed Matthew Pottinger, NSC senior director for Asian affairs, suggested President Donald Trump could order a strike against North Korea for political purposes, The Hill reported Friday.

The Journal's Seoul bureau chief, Jonathan Cheng, originally made the claim in a tweet that has since been removed, attributing it to the newspaper Hankyoreh.

Pottinger's alleged quote appeared in an opinion piece published by Hankyoreh. Prior to that, the quote was in an article by the Journal's Washington correspondent. But, in that instance, the quote cites a source who said the comment was only implied.

According to Business Insider, the quote in the Korean publication said Pottinger said something "to the effect" that a strike against North Korea "might help in the midterm elections."

Trump has often engaged in a war of words with North Korean Supreme Leader Kim Jong Un over its nuclear weapons program.

A National Security Council official who claimed the U.S. could launch a preemptive strike against North Korea to help the Republican party in the midterm elections was a "reckless accusation," said White House press secretary Sarah Sanders."Never happened. Pottinger is a...